Appian Way | ancient road, Italy | Britannica.com ancient road, Italy Pantheon Appian Way, Latin Via Appia, the first and most famous of the ancient Roman roads , running from Rome to Campania and southern Italy . The Appian Way was begun in 312 bce by the censor Appius Claudius Caecus . At first it ran only 132 miles (212 km) from Rome south-southeastward to ancient Capua , in Campania, but by about 244 bce it had been extended another 230 miles (370 km) southeastward to reach the port of Brundisium (Brindisi), situated in the “heel” of Italy and lying along the Adriatic Sea . Remains of Roman tombs lining the Appian Way (begun 312 BC), Rome. Fridmar Damm/De Wys Inc. From Rome southward the Appian Way’s course was almost straight until it reached Tarracina (Terracina) on the Tyrrhenian Sea . The road then turned inland to the southeast to reach Capua.

From Capua it ran east to Beneventium (Benevento) and then southeastward again to reach the port of Tarentum (Taranto). It then ran east for a short distance to terminate at Brundisium. The Appian Way was celebrated by Horace and Statius , who called it longarum regina viarum, or “queen of long-distance roads.” As the main highway to the seaports of southeastern Italy, and thus to Greece and the eastern Mediterranean, the Appian Way was so important that during the empire it was administered by a curator of praetorian rank. The road averaged 20 feet (6 metres) in width and was slightly convex in surface in order to facilitate good drainage. The road’s foundation was of heavy stone blocks cemented together with lime mortar; over these were laid polygonal blocks of lava that were smoothly and expertly fitted together. The lava blocks formed a good traveling surface, and one that proved to have extraordinary durability over the centuries. The first few miles of the Appian Way outside Rome are flanked by a striking series of monuments, and there are also milestones and other inscriptions along the remains of the road.

Learn More in these related articles: in ancient Rome Roman road system | Britannica.com Roman road system Africa Roman road system, outstanding transportation network of the ancient Mediterranean world, extending from Britain to the Tigris-Euphrates river system and from the Danube River to Spain and northern Africa. In all, the Romans built 50,000 miles (80,000 km) of hard-surfaced highway, primarily for military reasons. Ancient Roman road in Portugal. © inacio pires/Fotolia The first of the great Roman roads, the Via Appia ( Appian Way ), begun by the censor Appius Claudius Caecus in 312 bce, originally ran southeast from Rome 162 miles (261 km) to Tarentum (now Taranto) and was later extended to the Adriatic coast at Brundisium (now Brindisi). The long branch running through Calabria to the Straits of Messina was known as the Via Popilia.

By the beginning of the 2nd century bce, four other great roads radiated from Rome: the Via Aurelia, extending northwest to Genua (Genoa); the Via Flaminia , running north to the Adriatic, where it joined the Via Aemilia , crossed the Rubicon, and led northwest; the Via Valeria, east across the peninsula by way of Lake Fucinus (Conca del Fucino); and the Via Latina, running southeast and joining the Via Appia near Capua . Their numerous feeder roads extending far into the Roman provinces led to the proverb “All roads lead to Rome.” roads and highways: The Roman roads The Roman roads were notable for their straightness, solid foundations, cambered surfaces facilitating drainage, and use of concrete made from pozzolana (volcanic ash) and lime. Though adapting their technique to materials locally available, the Roman engineers followed basically the same principles in building abroad as they had in Italy. In 145 bce they began the Via Egnatia , an extension of the Via Appia beyond the Adriatic into Greece and Asia Minor , where it joined the ancient Persian Royal Road .

In northern Africa the Romans followed up their conquest of Carthage by building a road system that spanned the south shore of the Mediterranean. In Gaul they developed a system centred on Lyon, whence main roads extended to the Rhine, Bordeaux , and the English Channel . In Britain the purely strategic roads following the conquest were supplemented by a network radiating from London. In Spain , on the contrary, the topography of the country dictated a system of main roads around the periphery of the peninsula, with secondary roads developed into the central plateaus. Similar Topics Appian Way, Rome Appian Way 5 171 votes Via Appia Antica (Old Appian Way) was once one of the world's most important roads and the most famous of all the roads that radiated from Rome towards the far ends of the Roman Empire. Building the Road The Via Appia, originally built in 312 BC, was the brainchild of Appius Claudius Caecus, the then-censor of Rome, who was known for organizing bold public works that helped make life easier for the people of Rome.

Appian Way Appius Claudius' most famous project was this road, which would eventually run all the way from Rome to the port city of Brindisi. The road began as a level dirt surface upon which mortar and small stones were laid. On top of that, gravel was placed, topped with interlocking stones that would provide a flat surface for those traveling the road. Historians say the stones fit together so well that it was nearly impossible to stick a knife between them. Ditches were dug on either side of the road and were protected by retaining walls. A 560 km long road Via Appia began at the Circus Maximus , passing along the Baths of Caracalla , and later, the Aurelian Wall . Near Rome the road was lined with tombs. When the road left the city, it traveled through wealthy suburbs on its way straight through the Appian Mountains and over the former Pontine Marshes to Terracina, a coastal town 56 km south of Rome. From there the Appian Way followed the western coast, eventually ending at Capua, making the original road about 210 km long.

Ancient Roman Pavement This road achieved its goals by helping the Roman army move military supplies where they were needed in a quick manner, resulting in several victories for the army. Sometime around 295 BC, the road was extended to Benevenutum and then, within the next five years, to Venusia and Tarentum. Eventually, the Appian Way made it all the way to the port city of Brindisi on Italy's southeast coast, 560 km from Rome (about 350 miles). Monuments Along the Appian Way Relief on a tomb Since it was forbidden to bury the dead in the city proper, many were buried along the roads leading out of Rome. Important people built tombs for themselves or for their whole family. Sometimes these tombs were as large as a house. Their shapes varied from a tumulus or a pyramid to a small temple. The Via Appia was lined with such monuments and many of them are still visible today. The most impressive is the well-preserved tomb of Cecilia Metella - the wife of one of Julius Caesar's generals, which looks almost like a fortress.

Other notable tombs include the tomb of Marcus Servilius, the tomb of Tomb of Cecilia Metella Tomb of Sextus Pompeius Justus Romulus (son of Emperor Maxentius), the tomb of Seneca (a Roman philosopher) and the tomb of the family of Sextus Pompeius Justus; The inscription on the tomb tells of the grief of a father burying his young children. There's also an emperor buried along the Via Appia, Gallienus, who was murdered in 268 AD. Other Sights Besides the numerous tombs along the road, there are some other monuments that line the Via Appia: the Temple of Hercules, the church Quo Vadis (where Saint Peter is said to have met Christ) and the remains of the Gothic church of San Nicola. The Villa dei Quintili, with its ancient baths and beautiful friezes and sculptures is located nearby at the Via Appia Nuova. And nearby the tomb of Romulus is the Circus Maxentius, a large arena where chariot races were held. Adjacent to the circus was a palace built by Emperor Maxentius. The circus, which was second in size only to the Circus Maximus , is the best preserved of all Roman circuses.

Underneath While the Via Appia is lined with monuments and tombs of ancient Roman patrician families, many find what's under the Appian Way to be more interesting. Below the street are miles of tunnels - known as catacombs - where the early Christians buried their dead and, when necessary, held secret church services. Several of the catacombs are open to the public and on a guided tour led by local priests and monks, visitors can view ancient burial niches and a Porta San Sebastiano handful of remaining examples of early Christian art. Walking along the Via Appia Today the Via Appia starts at the Aurelian wall , at the Porta San Sebastiano. The first part of the road is not exactly pedestrian friendly. It leads along the Quo Vadis church, the catacombs of San Callisto and the catacombs of San Sebastiano to the imposing tomb of Cecilia Metella. From here the road is paved with the authentic Roman stones. You can walk for many kilometers passing the remains of numerous historic tombs. Roman road | Article about Roman road by The Free Dictionary Roman road | Article about Roman road by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Wikipedia . Roman roads, ancient system of highways linking Rome with its provinces.

Their primary purpose was military, but they also were of great commercial importance and brought the distant provinces in touch with the capital. The roads often ran in a straight line, regardless of obstacles, and were efficiently constructed, generally in four layers of materials; the uppermost layer was a pavement of flat, hard stones, concrete, or pebbles set in mortar. Roads were built or rebuilt by the Romans throughout the empire in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Many modern roads are laid out on their routes, and some of the old bridges are still in use. Examples of Roman roads exist near Rome and elsewhere. In Italy roads led out of Rome in every direction. The most ancient were the Ostiense Road to Ostia at the mouth of the Tiber; the Praenestine Way SE to Praeneste; and the Latin Road or Latin Way to a point near Capua where it later joined the Appian Way Appian Way , Lat. Via Appia, most famous of the Roman roads, built (312 B.C.) under Appius Claudius Caecus.

It connected Rome with Capua and was later extended to Beneventum (now Benevento), Tarentum (Taranto), and Brundisium (Brindisi). ..... Click the link for more information. , which was the first of the great highways. The Flaminian Way Flaminian Way , one of the principal Roman roads, the greatest artery from Rome to Cisalpine Gaul. Construction was begun (220 B.C.) by Caius Flaminius. The road ran N from Rome to Narnia (modern Narni), to Mevania (Bevagna), NE to Nuceria (Nocera Umbria), thence N to the Burano ..... Click the link for more information. was the most important northern route. It ran from Rome NE to Ariminium (Rimini); from that point it was extended (187 B.C.) as the Aemilian Way, which ran in a straight line NW through Bononia (modern Bologna) to the Po at Placentia (Piacenza); later it was extended farther to Mediolanum (Milan).

Another northern route was the Aurelian Way from Rome along the Tyrrhenian coast to Pisae (Pisa) and Luna; from there it was extended to Genua (Genoa). The third northern route was the Cassian Way from Rome through Etruria to Faesulae (Fiesole) and Luca (Lucca); near Luca it joined the Aurelian Way. The three roads from Rome to the north were connected with others crossing the Alps by the great Alpine passes—Alpis Cottia (Montgenèvre), Alpis Graia (Little St. Bernard), Alpis Poenina (Great St. Bernard), the Brenner Pass, and others leading into Rhaetia and Noricum. The chief roads leading from Rome to the regions across the Apennines and to the Adriatic were the Salarian Way to Ancona and the Valerian Way to Aternum (Pescara). There were other roads in Italy, most notable among them the Postumian Way, leading from Genua across the Po valley to Aquileia at the head of the Adriatic. A wide system of roads was also built and rebuilt by the Romans in Britain, mainly for military purposes.

The best-known British roads were Ermine Street Ermine Street, Saxon name for the Roman road in Britain that ran from London to Lincoln and York. It was one of the four main highways of Saxon England. The name is derived from the Earningas, a group of people who inhabited an area in Cambridgeshire through which the road ..... Click the link for more information. , Fosse Way Fosse Way , Roman road in England. It apparently ran from Exeter (Isca Dumnoniorum) NE past Bath (Aquae Sulis), Cirencester (Corinium Dobunnorum), and Leicester (Ratae Coritanorum) to Lincoln (Lindum). It intersected Watling Street. ..... Click the link for more information. , Watling Street Watling Street , important ancient road in England, built by the Romans in the course of their military occupation. It ran from London generally north to the intersection with the Fosse Way, c. ..... Click the link for more information.

, and the pre-Roman Icknield Street Icknield Street , name for a prehistoric road in England, extending SW from the Wash, along the line of the Chiltern Hills and Berkshire Downs, to Salisbury Plain. ..... Click the link for more information. . Bibliography See T. Ashby, The Roman Campagna in Classical Times (1927, repr. 1970); I. D. Margary, Roman Roads in Britain (2 vol., 1955–57; rev. ed. 1967); V. W. Von Hagen, The Roads that Led to Rome (1967). Mendip Hills References in classic literature ?

It is altogether a place that you won't forget, a place to open a man's soul, and make him prophesy, as he looks down on that great Vale spread out as the garden of the Lord before him, and wave on wave of the mysterious downs behind, and to the right and left the chalk hills running away into the distance, along which he can trace for miles the old Roman road, "the Ridgeway" ("the Rudge," as the country folk call it), keeping straight along the highest back of the hills--such a place as Balak brought Balaam to, and told him to prophesy against the people in the valley beneath. Roman Roads Roman Roads: Roman Road Chart Roman Roads The engineers of ancient Rome built an unparalleled network of roads in the ancient world. Approximately 50,000 miles (80,000 km) of roads spanned the Roman Empire, spreading its legions, culture and immense influence throughout the known world. The old saying "all roads lead to Rome", simply couldn't have been truer.

Rome was the hub of commerce, trade, politics, culture and military might in the Mediterranean, and the grand achievement of her road network all led directly to the city and back out to her many territories. Despite the grand spectacle that the road network really was, the original functionality of Roman roads was mainly designed for military exploitation. Starting with local roads, Rome was connected first to Latium, Ostia and surrounding areas. By the mid 4th century BC, as they pushed south into Samnite territories and Campania, longer highways were developed to give the legion an advantage over Rome's adversaries. The Via Appia, built between was the first, and most famous, of these. Begun in 312 BC by Appius Claudius Caecus, it ran southwest out of Rome, to Capua, then to Tarentum and later was pushed across to Brundusium (Brindisi) on the Adriatic eventually stretching all the way to the Straits of Messina. Like most major Roman fortifications and public works, Roman roads were primarily built by the legions themselves, as they stretched the frontiers.

Engineers were regular members of the Roman army and their expertise in roads, forts and bridge building was an invaluable asset unmatched by any other culture for 2 millenia. Estimating the cost of road building varies dramatically depending on the era and terrain, but there is no question regarding the cost effectiveness. As the empire expanded the cost responsibility for building and maintaining the roads were borne by local populations and tribes rather than by the Roman treasury itself. As Roman generals marched with their legions, they were expected to provide road construction from their own resources. However, with complete authority in any given jurisdiction, those resources turned out to be mostly collected from locals, in coin, raw materials and additional labor. Essentially for 7 centuries, Roman road building continued and was well maintained, until economic decline and external pressure began to give way. By the fall of the west in 476 AD, the condition of the roads paralleled the circumstances of the empire, and many roads would fall into disuse, disrepair and ruin throughout the medieval age. Outside of the speed and accessibility provided to the Roman legions, the roads also provided an opportunity for trade, travel and communication unknown to the rest of the world.

While travel of any considerable length was generally limited to the wealthy, theoretically one could travel from Spain to Greece without ever stepping off a road. While having obvious advantages for trade, once again, the roads were never a primary source of commerce. Most trade and transportation occurring on roads was limited to short routes, as sea traffic was by far the more attractive alternative. Road routes allowed the convenience of moving goods from the source, directly to a nearby port, or legionary supplies by sea could be moved to their final distance by road. The heaviest traveled roads were those connecting inland towns to nearby ports in the provinces and from ports, such as Ostia, to Rome in Italy. A sort of ancient pony express was also developed along with a vast network of postal way stations along the road routes. Both horse driven carts and ridden horses were used for fast delivery of correspondence to distant places. For the first time in history it was possible to receive a letter in Rome, from as far away as northern Gaul, in as little as a few days. While military couriers were a considerably more common occurrence, dispatching letters between commanders, the Senate, the Emperor or various installations, the civilian mail service was a booming business as well. Did you know?

Roman roads were so effective that in the later empire they actually became a liability because invading forces could travel along them just as quickly as the Roman armies. ________________________________ Appian Way Reviews - Rome, Italy History Buffs Dec 25, 2011 This is one of my favourite spots in Rome, though well outside the city centre. 16kms of the ancient road (which used to run from Rome to Brindisi) remain. On Sundays the entire stretch is closed to traffic, though during the rest of the week it's a traffic free nature / archaeology park after the first couple of miles - makes for a terrific walk or bike ride, followed by a picnic. A good starting point is the San Sebastian Gate (Via di Porta San Sebastiano 18, about two miles south of the Colosseum), taking in most of the key sights: Church of Santa Maria in Palmis (Via Appia Antica 51) aka Domine Quo Vadis, where according to Bible Jesus appeared to St Peter; the Catacombs of St. Callixtus (Via Appia Antica 110); the Catacombs of St.

Sebastian (Via Appia Antica 136); the Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella (Via Appia Antica 161); and the Circus of Maxentius. Recommended for:History Buffs Roman roads | Article about Roman roads by The Free Dictionary Roman roads | Article about Roman roads by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Wikipedia . Roman roads, ancient system of highways linking Rome with its provinces. Their primary purpose was military, but they also were of great commercial importance and brought the distant provinces in touch with the capital. The roads often ran in a straight line, regardless of obstacles, and were efficiently constructed, generally in four layers of materials; the uppermost layer was a pavement of flat, hard stones, concrete, or pebbles set in mortar. Roads were built or rebuilt by the Romans throughout the empire in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Many modern roads are laid out on their routes, and some of the old bridges are still in use. Examples of Roman roads exist near Rome and elsewhere. In Italy roads led out of Rome in every direction.

The most ancient were the Ostiense Road to Ostia at the mouth of the Tiber; the Praenestine Way SE to Praeneste; and the Latin Road or Latin Way to a point near Capua where it later joined the Appian Way Appian Way , Lat. Via Appia, most famous of the Roman roads, built (312 B.C.) under Appius Claudius Caecus. It connected Rome with Capua and was later extended to Beneventum (now Benevento), Tarentum (Taranto), and Brundisium (Brindisi). ..... Click the link for more information. , which was the first of the great highways. The Flaminian Way Flaminian Way , one of the principal Roman roads, the greatest artery from Rome to Cisalpine Gaul. Construction was begun (220 B.C.) by Caius Flaminius. The road ran N from Rome to Narnia (modern Narni), to Mevania (Bevagna), NE to Nuceria (Nocera Umbria), thence N to the Burano ..... Click the link for more information. was the most important northern route.

It ran from Rome NE to Ariminium (Rimini); from that point it was extended (187 B.C.) as the Aemilian Way, which ran in a straight line NW through Bononia (modern Bologna) to the Po at Placentia (Piacenza); later it was extended farther to Mediolanum (Milan). Another northern route was the Aurelian Way from Rome along the Tyrrhenian coast to Pisae (Pisa) and Luna; from there it was extended to Genua (Genoa). The third northern route was the Cassian Way from Rome through Etruria to Faesulae (Fiesole) and Luca (Lucca); near Luca it joined the Aurelian Way. The three roads from Rome to the north were connected with others crossing the Alps by the great Alpine passes—Alpis Cottia (Montgenèvre), Alpis Graia (Little St. Bernard), Alpis Poenina (Great St. Bernard), the Brenner Pass, and others leading into Rhaetia and Noricum.

The chief roads leading from Rome to the regions across the Apennines and to the Adriatic were the Salarian Way to Ancona and the Valerian Way to Aternum (Pescara). There were other roads in Italy, most notable among them the Postumian Way, leading from Genua across the Po valley to Aquileia at the head of the Adriatic. A wide system of roads was also built and rebuilt by the Romans in Britain, mainly for military purposes. The best-known British roads were Ermine Street Ermine Street, Saxon name for the Roman road in Britain that ran from London to Lincoln and York. It was one of the four main highways of Saxon England. The name is derived from the Earningas, a group of people who inhabited an area in Cambridgeshire through which the road ..... Click the link for more information. , Fosse Way Fosse Way , Roman road in England. It apparently ran from Exeter (Isca Dumnoniorum) NE past Bath (Aquae Sulis), Cirencester (Corinium Dobunnorum), and Leicester (Ratae Coritanorum) to Lincoln (Lindum). It intersected Watling Street. .....

Click the link for more information. , Watling Street Watling Street , important ancient road in England, built by the Romans in the course of their military occupation. It ran from London generally north to the intersection with the Fosse Way, c. ..... Click the link for more information. , and the pre-Roman Icknield Street Icknield Street , name for a prehistoric road in England, extending SW from the Wash, along the line of the Chiltern Hills and Berkshire Downs, to Salisbury Plain. ..... Click the link for more information. . Bibliography See T. Ashby, The Roman Campagna in Classical Times (1927, repr. 1970); I. D. Margary, Roman Roads in Britain (2 vol., 1955–57; rev. ed. 1967); V. W. Von Hagen, The Roads that Led to Rome (1967). Mendip Hills References in classic literature ?

It is altogether a place that you won't forget, a place to open a man's soul, and make him prophesy, as he looks down on that great Vale spread out as the garden of the Lord before him, and wave on wave of the mysterious downs behind, and to the right and left the chalk hills running away into the distance, along which he can trace for miles the old Roman road, "the Ridgeway" ("the Rudge," as the country folk call it), keeping straight along the highest back of the hills--such a place as Balak brought Balaam to, and told him to prophesy against the people in the valley beneath. The Beautiful Network of Ancient Roman Roads | Atlas Obscura The Beautiful Network of Ancient Roman Roads Please separate multiple addresses with commas. We won't share addresses with third parties. Subscribe me to the Get our latest, delivered straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletter . Subscribe to our newsletter and get our latest, sent right to your inbox. Subscribe Thanks for subscribing!

Related Stories Found: The Oldest Handwritten Document Ever Discovered in England Over Half a Ton of Ancient Roman Coins Unearthed by Construction Workers Found: A Magnificent Roman Villa, Hiding Under a British Backyard A Roman Milestone from the Via Romana XVIII, which connected Bracara Augusta to Asturica Augusta. (Photo: Júlio Reis/WikiCommons CC BY-SA 3.0 ) In today’s terms, it’s hard to fathom how much of the world the Romans once controlled. At its peak, the Roman Empire spanned from Hadrian’s Wall in Scotland to Morocco, from the banks of the Rhine River bordering Germania, to Egypt, and east to the Euphrates River in Mesopotamia—a huge swath of conquered peoples and occupied lands, with barbarians on the borders. Thousands of years later, monuments of Roman glory and imperialism still stand throughout Europe. Huge concrete buildings like the Colosseum remain, as do stone plinths and obelisks. But the Romans’ most impressive achievement, and most important contribution to modern Europe, lies underfoot. A Map from 1897 showing the Roman Empire with provinces, in 150 AD.

(Photo: Public Domain/WikiCommons ) Roads, built to allow the empire to flow outward, and for the rewards of empire to come flooding back to the capital, were the key to the Romans’ governance of Europe. Along these roads ran messengers, as a type of precursor to the American Pony Express —a relay of horsemen could carry a message 50 miles a day. Governors, emperors, legions, and, most importantly, trade flowed along these ribbons of stone that cut through hills and across gorges. In 9 BCE, the Emperor Tiberius rode almost 215 miles along the roads in 24 hours to get to his dying brother’s side. For a small toll, other, non-official travelers could travel the roads as well. Inside the Colosseum, Rome. (Photo: Philip Capper/WikiCommons CC BY 2.0 ) Roman roads are still visible across Europe. Some are built over by national highway systems, while others still have their original cobbles—including some of the roads considered by the Romans themselves to be the most important of their system.

Via dell’Abbondanza in Pompeii (Photo: Mentnafunangann/WikiCommons CC BY-SA 3.0 ) One major road you can still visit is via Appia , or Appian Way, the most strategically important of the Roman roads. Begun in 312 BCE, the road runs from Rome southeast to the coastal city of Brindisi, a distance of 350 miles. It was via Appia that allowed for the Roman conquest of southern Italy, and the defeat of the Greek city-states and colonies embedded there. The Appian Way was host to battles between the Romans and the Greek general Pyrrhus from 280 to 275 BCE, which is where we get the term “Pyrrhic victory:” a victory that comes at too high a cost. Via Appia was also the site where, in 71 BCE, around 6000 members of Spartacus’s slave army were crucified on the hillsides.

The road also has more recent military history—it was the site of the 1944 Battle of Anzio during the Second World War, in which the Allies became mired in the same swamp that threatened to fell Pyrrhus two millennia earlier. A Map showing the Appian Way and the shorter Via Appia Traiana. (Photo: Public Domain/WikiCommons ) In France (Gaul) and Spain (Hispania), the road systems were no less impressive than in Italy—the Alcantara Bridge, over the Tagus River, was built in 106 AD, and carries the inscription “Pontem perpetui mansurum in saecula,” or “I have built a bridge which will last forever.” This is not strictly true. While the bridge still stands, it was damaged, first by Moors in 1214, then by the Spanish in 1762, and again in 1809. There are, in fact, two bridges in Spain named Alcantara, built by the Romans, and a third, similarly named bridge, the Alconetar Bridge—all of which span the Tagus, in Western Spain.

The word “Alcantara” comes from the Arabic word “al-qantarah”, which means “bridge”. The Alcantara Bridge across the River Tagus, Cáceres Province, Extremadura, Spain. (Photo: Dantla/WikiCommons ) The Romans also acquired roadways and Latinized them—the via Domitia, which ran between Italy and Hispania through southern France, was an ancient path that the Romans paved in 118 BCE. Prior to the Roman upgrade, the path featured in Greek mythology as the legendary route of Heracles when he drove the cattle he stole from Geryon along it. This road was also the one travelled by the Carthaginian general Hannibal when he invaded Italy in 218 BCE. Along the via Domitia lie the remains of two bridges, one of which, the Pont Julien, is passable to foot traffic. The other, the Pont Ambroix, is ruined but beautiful. Pont Ambroix. (Photo: Xabi Rome-Hérault/Wiki Commons CC BY-SA 3.0 ) Along the Roman road via Julia Augusta, which also runs through the south of France, there are the remains of a number of bridges.

The Pont Flavien is in the best condition, and is perhaps the most archaeologically important: it is the only surviving example of its kind of bridge, and was constructed as a funerary monument. It was heavily used until the end of the 20th century, and has been extensively repaired. Pont Flavien has sustained a lot of damage in the last few hundred years—part of it collapsed in the 18th century, and, during the Second World War, both a German tank and an Allied truck crashed into one of the archways. The bridge is now reserved for foot traffic. Pont Flavien on the Touloubre river in Saint-Chamas, France. (Photo: Carole Raddato/flickr ) The detail of a lion atop the Pont Flavien. (Photo: maarjaara/flickr ) Then there are the world famous archways of the aqueduct that crosses the Gardon River, the Pont du Gard. Built in the first century, the aqueduct and bridge stand in such good condition due to their being used as toll roads during the Middle Ages. Originally the bridge was used for vehicular and pedestrian traffic, but access is now restricted to pedestrians.

The vast Pont du Gard near Nîmes, France (above) and below, a closer view of the existing structure. (Photo: Oleg Znamenskiy/shutterstock.com ) (Photo: Andrea Schaffer/flickr ) In contrast to Hispania and Gaul, the Roman Empire never made much headway into Germania. Much of the Roman road network in the former Britannia has been built over or has decayed. Beginning their work in 43 CE, alongside the invasion organized by the Emperor Claudius, the Romans quickly built a road network through the lands they controlled in Britain. Although parts of this network remained in place, most roads quickly decayed after the Roman withdrawal. Modern roads cover much of the network—an example is the M20 motorway in Canterbury, beneath which lies a road known as Stone Street. There are ruins of bridges still visible, such as in Northumberland, where parts of Hadrian’s Wall and Chesters Bridge can be seen, as well as in Durham, at Piercebridge. A map of Roman roads in Britain. (Photo: Public Domain/WikiCommons ) Few roads remain in Germany, but the oldest still-standing bridge in the country is of Roman origin: the Manfred Bridge, in Trier.

A UNESCO World Heritage site , the bridge spans the river Moselle, near the German border with Luxemburg. It is believed to date from the second century CE. If we head east, through Dalmatia (modern Croatia) and Thracia (parts of modern day Greece, Bulgaria, and Turkey), we can travel Roman roads like the via Militaris, which ran from what is now Belgrade to what is now Istanbul. A section of the road is today visible in Dimitrovgrad, Serbia. By taking the via Pontica you can see the craggy, ruined remains of Trajan’s bridge, which was built in 103 CE to cross the Danube in Romania. Much of it was destroyed by Trajan’s successor, Hadrian, as a precaution against invading hordes. An artist’s interpretation of Trajan’s Bridge from 1907. (Photo: Rapsak/WikiCommons CC BY 2.0 ) In Turkey there are still some Roman roads and bridges, like in Cilicia, or at Cendere Cayi, where the Severan Bridge steps 112 feet across the creek.

Throughout Asia Minor and the Middle East ran a number of Roman roads, sometimes their own creations, other times imposed on top of existing roads. The via Maris (which translates to the “way of the sea”) connected Aegyptus (Egypt) with Syria, Palaestina Judae, Cappadocia and onto the rest of the Empire. It traces an ancient trade route that was in existence from the early Bronze Age, and was originally called the Way of the Philistines. The via Regia (later the via Traiana Nova) was also built on an ancient trade route—the King’s Highway, which stretched between Egypt and Damascus. The most well-known Roman road in the Middle East, however, was built in the first century, and leads to Petra , through the gates of the city. (Photo: Dennis Jarvis/flick r) There are also a number of Roman bridges in the Middle East. Band-e Kaiser (Caesar’s Dam) was a Roman bridge and dam built by contracted Roman workers in the third century CE. It is the easternmost Roman bridge and dam, as Iran was, at that time, part of the Persian Empire, not the Roman one.

According to legend, Shapur I captured the Roman Emperor Valerian circa 257 CE, and forced him and his army to build the dam and bridge. This is what remains of it now: “Caesar’s Dam”. (Photo: Public Domain/WikiCommons ) Via Appia. - definition of Via Appia. by The Free Dictionary Via Appia. - definition of Via Appia. by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Thesaurus , Encyclopedia , Wikipedia . Ap·pi·an Way (ăp′ē-ən) An ancient Roman road between Rome and Capua, begun in ad 312 and later extended to Brindisi, with a total length of more than 565 km (350 mi). Appian Way (ˈæpɪən) n (Placename) a Roman road in Italy, extending from Rome to Brindisi: begun in 312 bc by Appius Claudius Caecus. Length: about 560 km (350 miles) Ap′pi•an Way′ (ˈæp i ən) n.

an ancient Roman highway extending from Rome to Brundisium (now Brindisi): begun 312 B.C. by Appius Claudius Caecus. ab. 350 mi. (565 km) long. ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend: Noun 1. Appian Way - an ancient Roman road in Italy extending south from Rome to Brindisi; begun in 312 BC Italia , Italian Republic , Italy - a republic in southern Europe on the Italian Peninsula; was the core of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire between the 4th century BC and the 5th century AD Translations

Question: Which Roman road ran from Rome to Brindisi?
Answer: Appian Way